The Comets (32-6) face Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary next Saturday in the regional at Sacred Heart.

“After graduating the group last year,” Coleman coach Chad Klopf said, “the big part was getting the girls who were not part of that success into it. Playing the first game was helpful, getting out of the sun. Merrill and Breckenridge had to battle.”

Jaden Berthume had a big day for the Comets, getting the shutout win in the championship game with three hits, no walks and seven strikeouts in six innings. She also had a single, double and three RBIs. In the first game, he had three hits with a double and an RBI.

Faith Barden won the opener, giving up two hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts in seven innings.

Autumn Tubbs and Makailyn Monson each had two hits in each game with one RBI for the day.

“I believe we played our two best games of the season today,” he said. “I started two freshmen and four sophomores, and we beat a ranked team in Merrill, and we competed with another ranked team. Our seniors did everything they could and left our program in good shape. We’re primed for the future.”

One of those seniors, Madison Smith pitched both games for the Huskies, giving up four hits with six strikeouts in seven innings in the opening win. She also was 2-for-3 in the title game.

Haley Willman went 3-for-4 with two RBIs against Merrill and had a hit against Coleman. Kylie Federspiel was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the opener, while Amiah Cole was 2-for-4.

Merrill finished the season 23-8.

Olivia Fleming struck out 12 with one walk and eight hits against Breckenridge. She also had a triple.

Morgan Dubay had a triple, and Zoe Fleming had a double.

"We had the opportunity to score early, and we didn't get the hit we needed to go ahead," Merrill coach Harry Cowan said. "They were up to the challenge; it just wasn't meant to be."